Nien-Tzu Keng1 Chun-Chih Lin2 Chia-Chi Lung3 Wei-Chung Liu1*
1 Department of Radiological Technology/General Education Center,
Tzu-Chi College of Technology
2 Institute of Natural Healing Science, Nanhua University
3 Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University

Abstract
According to Taiwan’s Department of Health statistics 2009, the morbidity of breast
cancer has been the first of women’s malignancies, and the fourth leading cause of cancer
death in Taiwanese women. Human breast cancer frequently metastasizes to bone tissues
associated with bone destruction as a consequence of the activation of osteoclasts (OC). We
have previously reported the potential of the health food supplement Cordyceps sinensis (CS)
as a remedy that can enhance the recovery of bone marrow function following radiotherapy or
chemotherapy. In this study, we identify a new function of CS as a remedy to prevent the
osteoclastogenesis and osteolytic bone invasion of a human breast cancer. The results
demonstrate that the condition medium of MDA-231 cells could drive the differentiation of
human peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) into OC as demonstrated by the increase of
tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and the percentages of bone resorption
area per bone slices. These effects were diminished by the addition of CS, which effects
could be contributed to the suppression of receptor for activation of NF-κB ligand (RANKL),
and IL-6. In summary, this study demonstrates that CS is a potential remedy to prevent the
metastatic potential of malignant breast cancer cells by interfering tumor-directed bone
resorption action through its effect on osteoclastogenesis.
Keywords：breast cancer, osteoclast, Cordyceps sinensis.